vegan make-up

Mascara is one of the most used cosmetic products on the market. I know people who leave the house without so much as running a brush through their hair, but wouldn't dare leave the hosue without a few swipes of mascara on their lashes. (I may or may not be referring to myself). Anyway… with all the mascara particulars…color…brush type…thickness….vegan? The last one might not be on everyone's mascara list, but it is on mine. And if it is on yours then you appreciate a good vegan mascara when you find one.

I found one while traveling in Portland. It is by Pacifica. I love my Pacifica coconut water infused face wash, so I was confident I would like their mascara as well. I was right! And the best part is it is available at Target, so for me it is like the unicorn of mascaras! And why yes, that is vegetable glycerin in the ingredients!

I have written about Vegan Cuts before, in fact …the founder, Jill Pyle, was one of our In the Spotlight newsletter guests back in December.

My friend was asking me about non-food related vegan products the other day… like how do you tell if something is vegan without them outright telling you? Well, that can be tricky as cosmetics use a lot of different ingredients that might not always be as easy to identify as a food label.

I always reccomend doing research ahead of time. Vegan Cuts has made this process very simple. My friend's question had me heading over to their site and thought I would share some of the great beauty products I have learned about from them.

1.) Mascara

Native Foods uses this image courtesy of vegancuts.com

This might be one of the harder items to find that is guarenteed 100% vegan, so for this cosmetic bag staple I definitely reccomend doing your research. It might take a few trys to find one you like, I know how people like their mascara a certain way! I have been meaning to try this one. I love Glam Natural's glosses so I can imagine I would like this product too.

2.) Lip Gloss

Speaking of...

Native Foods uses this image courtesy of vegancuts.com

This is a good gloss in my opinon, it comes in several colors and is a great way to give your lips a quick boost and a slight bit of color.

I actually might be one who likes make-up bags better than the make-up itself and what better way to store all your cruelty-free products than a bag that supports a company who makes vegan shopping a breeze!

5.) Vegan Starter Kit

Native Foods uses this image courtesy of vegancuts.com

Does your entire cosmetic collection need a vegan make-over? Then you can opt for their vegan beaurty starter kit and see for yourself which cruelty products are most suited for your beauty routine!

Christmas shopping is tricky for everyone- and it’s even trickier if you’re shopping for vegans. Whether you’re in search of the perfect cruelty-free makeup kit or a dairy-free box of chocolate, we know a secret that will help you check off your list in no time. The Vegan Cuts Holiday Gift Guide is an awesome resource for all sorts of eco and animal-friendly holiday gifts, from lip balms and body butters to healthy snacks.

The website separates products into six different categories, including “under $25”, “stocking stuffers” and “kiddos.” The interface is chic and navigable, and you can browse all of the pages in less than 25 minutes. Add another 15 minutes for online ordering and you’ll still have gotten all your shopping done for less time than it takes to check out at Target. It cuts down on time and waste without skipping an ounce of holiday spirit. And these gifts aren’t just for vegans- they’ll look great under anyone’s tree!

Note: I’m personally lost when it comes to beauty products or accessories, but there’s lots of that if you’re looking for it. For this roundup, I decided to pick out the quirkiest, most unique products—the ones I’d most likely buy for myself.

1. Ecojarz drink top and straw kit

Native Foods Cafe uses this image courtesy of vegancuts.com

Who says jars are just for food storage? These stainless steel lids and straws will help you turn any tomato sauce or nut butter jar into a portable beverage vessel. Just clean out a jar, and top it with a lid and straw, which are dishwasher safe and perfect for on-the-go slurping.

*Upgrade this gift with a few packets of Vega protein smoothie mix. Completely plant-based and non-GMO and they only take a minute to make!

2.) Produce Lovers Tote

Native Foods Cafe uses this image courtesy of vegancuts.com

This adorable woven cloth bag features a happy avocado declaring “I’m GOOD fat!”. Friends can bring it to the grocery store or use it to carry schoolbooks, as long as they’re ready to tout the veggie love loud and proud.

*Upgrade this gift by filling the bag with yummy produce-inspired snacks, like kale chips and dried fruits.

3. Vegan Cuts Beauty Box

Native Foods Cafe uses this image courtesy of vegancuts.com

If you’ve been waiting for the vegan spin on Birch Box- today’s your day. For $70, send your vegan beauty guru a monthly supply of cruelty-free pampering supplies. With different products every month, it’s the gift that just keeps giving.

*Alternative: Vegan Cuts has also assembled a Snack Box, so you can send monthly vegan foodie offerings instead.

4. Fur and feathers board game

Native Foods Cafe uses this image courtesy of vegancuts.com

This animal-friendly board game is perfect for kids or for vegan friends with little ones. The game helps children foster compassion for animals by asking them about animal factoids and letting them make choices about adopting animals from shelters and ordering animal-friendly dishes in cafes.

*Upgrade this gift by making it part of a Board Game Pack. Wrap it up in a nice basket with other family favorites (Jenga and Scrabble would be my picks).

5. Sprout Kit

Native Foods Cafe uses this image courtesy of vegancuts.com

For the amateur horticulturist, this sprout kit provides all the essentials for growing your own lentils, mung beans and chickpeas. It’s easy pea-sy! Also makes a great gift for kids.

*Upgrade it with some mixed wild rice from Whole Foods or a helpful spice like cumin, so the sprouted beans can eventually be used in a meal.

No time to order online? No worries. There’s plenty of vegan gift options that you can run out and get day-of. You’ll find fun Cherrybrook Kitchen baking mixes at your local Whole Foods as well as a station where you can grind natural peanut or almond butter, which makes a great gift. Also, PETA says that Ghirardelli hot chocolate is vegan! (Or at least the double chocolate, mocha, hazelnut and white mocha varieties).

Do images like these evoke fear in you? Black Friday has taken a major turn in the last couple of years to the point where it shouldn’t even be called Black Friday sine retailers everywhere are jumping on the Thursday opening bandwagon.

I remember waking up super early with my father growing up and hitting one of the major retailers. We were never going for anything in particular we would just go for the experience of maybe buying a large tin full of popcorn for $2.00. We definitely weren’t sleeping in our cars over night or fighting people like the scene in Jingle All the Way. We were calm cool and collected and usually home before my sister and mother had attempted to get out of bed.

As a child this seemed like a fun adventure with my dad, as an adult it seems like more of a nightmare. And with the Internet at our finger tips, going out on Black Friday can be left to only the thrill seekers.

So if this isn’t your cup of tea I have compiled some of the websites where you can buy great vegan gifts right from your couch.

These are just a few samplings of some sites online that offer great and unique vegan products. Be sure to keep checking our blog as we will be unveiling some of our favorite gift ideas for the season.

It is that time of year for movies, holiday movies and blockbusters alike join forces on the big screens these next few weeks. My family has had a tradition to go to see a movie every Christmas day. This Thanksgiving holiday weekend is a big weekend for moviegoers as well and who doesn’t like to snack on theater favorites like popcorn? Good news for you, it is probably vegan! AMC and Cinemark chains have both confirmed that their movie theater popcorn is vegan; you see that yellow color for the butter isn’t real butter. Now I am not going to pretend that because this popcorn is vegan means it is good for you, but it is good to know if you have craving for this classic snack you can indulge. I like to say, vegan doesn’t always mean healthy but it always means happy.

And since we are on the beauty topic, I can’t leave Urban Decay off this list. Urban Decay is a dedicated vegan company that has some of my favorite products, especially their eye shadows. I am not one to get too wild with color on my eyes and was stoked when the Naked 2 palate came out; it was like the colors were made for me. If you are into rad colors on your eyes, they also have you covered.

We had written a blog about Farm Sanctuary’s turkey adoption. I just think it is such a great cause and idea, the fact that you can adopt a turkey for less money than it costs to buy, cook and eat one is pretty sweet. So do them a favor and save a life and help the Farm Sanctuary have the funds to continue doing what they are doing. The number of turkeys that are consumed on Thanksgiving is terrifying, where do they all come from? I’m already pretty attached to Martha, my ladybird this year.

5.) Thanksgiving at Native Foods

That’s right, 9 of our restaurants are open for Thanksgiving. This is not your typical Native Foods menu either, for Thanksgiving we offer a full buffet of all the holiday favorites including our famous Native Wellington, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, a Waldorf salad, pumpkin pie and more…. so much more. This is the only day of the year where we take reservations so if you have not done so, call your closest Native Foods and join us for a vegan celebration of food.

It’s
great to be vegan! and every day it gets a little better, because somebody
comes up with a new vegan food, or movie, or piece of clothing. Here’s my new
favorite 5:

1.
Jalapeno Cilantro Hummus from Whole Foods

This
is a new product, and Whole Foods is pretty psyched about it. Understandably
so, considering how perfectly flavorful and creamy it is. It’s totally vegan
and low in fat and sodium, not to mention PACKED with protein. Also comes in
garlic and red pepper.

Native
Foods Cafe uses this image courtesy of wholefoodsmarket.com

2.
Madden Girl Zerge Cognac Vegan Riding Boot

The
shoe genius Steve Madden has done us a solid and created the PERFECT
faux-leather fall boot. I love wearing this style over my skinny jeans and
leggings because they’re warm, stylish, and hold up to the elements pretty
well. This one has a snazzy red and black zipper that lines the entire back of
the boot. And it’s under $100!

Those
of you in Chicago or Texas, you’re in for a treat. Next time you eat a
delicious dinner at the Native Foods Wicker Park location, head down Milwaukee
to iCream for dessert. Pick any base you like (soy milk and organic yogurt
included), any texture (ice cream, pudding, shake), then add flavors, mix-ins,
and any color you want from their huge selection!

Native
Foods Cafe uses this image courtesy of iCreamcafe.com

4.
OPI Goldeneye nail polish

One
of my favorite parts of fall/holiday season is the golds and browns in the
leaves, which also come through in fashion, make-up and polish. This OPI shade,
from their James Bond collection, goes with almost everything in my fall
wardrobe and is totally vegan. You need to put on about three coats, but it’s
totally worth it (even if you don’t do crazy nail art like this)

Native
Foods Cafe uses this image courtesy of veganclaws.com

5.
Erewhon Supergrains Buckwheat and Hemp Cereal

This
product is available exclusively at Whole Foods, where I’m sure it will sell
spectacularly. It’s vegan– made with organic buckwheat groats, brown rice,
organic maple syrup, Hemp seed–and crazy nutritious. Make it your
back-to-school cereal of choice.

Just because we don’t eat our make-up doesn’t mean we
shouldn’t be conscious of it. In fact, that’s all the more reason we shouldbe conscious of it. Adopting a vegan or vegetarian diet is a big
change that, unfortunately, scares off a good deal of people. But changing your
make-up, when cruelty-free make-up is widely available and looks and feels just
as good, should be a quick fix.

If you’re vegan you’re probably already on the prowl for
beauty supplies that are free of animal by-products and not tested on animals
in any way. If you’re not vegan but have any sympathy for animals whatsoever,
you might want to consider putting on a new face when it comes to make-up. Most
products from big make-up companies are tested on animals somewhere down the
line. Even if a U.S.-based company swears it does not do animal testing,
there’s no knowing what happens when the product is shipped overseas. This
testing is dangerous for animals because of the chemical exposure, inhumane
application methods, and inhumane treatment and confinement.

When searching for cruelty-free vegan beauty products, pay
special attention to the ingredient lists. Remember that things like beeswax
and honey are usually not vegan, and look out for hidden ingredients like
carmine, which is made from crushed insects, and guanine, which is made from
fish scales.

Below, we’ve compiled ten products that are PETA-approved
and well-regarded by vegan bloggers. Find them, use them, and then gift them to
all of your friends so society can brush off its ugly habit of cruel and
destructive make-up production.

Ecco
Bella FlowerColor Shimmerdust: These beautiful eye shadow palettes are made
with almond oil, aloe vera extract, and flower wax iron oxides. You can also
put it on your cheeks if you’re feeling rosy. Only $15 for a four-color
set.

Beauty
Without Cruelty Eye Pencils: The name says it all. Our blogger Holladay
raved about the mascara little while ago, and the eyeliner is cut from the same
cloth. Comes in black, carbon black, soft brown, blue, green, grey, walnut.
$16.75 each.

Nothing says confidence like a good complexion:

And Zuzu
Luxe Mineral Bronzer will boost yours in no time. Made with avocado extract
and jojoba seed oil, this high-quality bronzer will keep you looking radiant
all summer. One compact containing two shades costs $28.30

But you’re never fully dressed without a smile:

Try Obsessive
Compulsive Cosmetics’Lip Tar:
It sounds kind of gross, but vegans rave about it. This cruelty-free company
makes some killer vibrant hues, so get your summer off to a bright start.
Dozens of colors at $18 each.

Crazy
Rumors Fresh Squeezed Vegan Lip Balm: This adorable product comes from an
adorable couple named Brian and Edie Himmel, who live in Brooklyn with one
daughter and four cats. Their many
many flavors are sorted into “ice cream”, “soda”, “coffee”, “floral” and
“mystery” and are available for just $4 a piece.

Beauty on the surface

For your skin, try Moksa Body Butter:
Moksa is a totally organic company that uses fairly traded ingredients and
donates much of its profit to environmental advocacy groups and sustainable
business. Try their body butter, which comes in lavender, grapefruit, ginger,
vanilla, and rosemary, for just $16.

Me too! In the past, I was ecstatic to find a mascara that didn't test on animals without any animal-derived ingredients (including beeswax). However, this usually meant applying layers of chemical-laden black goo… but things have changed. While I was in Seattle a few months ago, I stopped into the vegan grocery store Vegan Haven and found Beauty Without Cruelty's Full Volume Mascara. It is awesome! The brush is wonderful and the consistency of the mascara is light but evenly coats each lash, and it doesn't smear and is easy to remove. I highly recommend this mascara to all mascara lovers out there. And you can rest assured you aren't putting any funny stuff near your eyeballs.

As a vegan girl myself, I found some of the finer things in
life harder to give up than cheese! The biggest transition for me thus far has
been navigating the world of cosmetics. Beyond the ingredients, I wanted to be
sure to find products not tested on animals as well, and I suppose it became a
new life resolution for me of sorts.

I decided to contact one of my favorite makeup artists from
the blogosphere and get her advice. She immediately sent me over to
LimeCrimeMakeup.com, and at first I was a little taken back.

Boulder vegans are known for their down to earth granola
look, which just will never be me. So, I was thrilled to be able to find my
signature red lipstick along with no shortage of color among all the LimeCrime
products. Oh by the way, that beautiful red is vegan… just keep reading!

So what are the vegan details: The company has taken a cruelty-free
pledge and most of their products are vegan. Being the diva that I am, I sent an email requesting that
they add a Vegan category just for my convenience, but until then look for the
Vegan symbol on the product’s page — you can’t miss it.

See that pretty little vegan sign right there? I should also
mention that this product right here is kicking butt. I can vouch for its divine
talent, but what speaks even more volumes is the fact that it is flying off the
cyber-shelves. So, you will have to wait until the first of April to get your
hands on it, but until then feel free to try out nearly all their eye shadows
and lipsticks.

Lastly, they are affordable! I’m actually saving money with
the switch, and my vegan faux leather wallet loves that. Who said that beauty
veganism has to be a sacrifice?

So
I wanted to share with you all one of my most favorite beauty products ever,
which boasts Hyaluronic acid as its key component … but as I started to write I
realized I really have no idea what Hyaluronic Acid is… so I did a bit of
research. First off, let me start
by explaining how I came across this wonderful product. A couple of years ago I decided to be
Regan (from The Exorcist) for Halloween.

I was traveling, and forgot the putty-like stuff for my face make-up, so I decided glue toilet paper to my face for texture (I did use that
special facial glue for special fx prosthetics, but it didn’t matter)…. I
highly recommend NEVER doing this.
It looked just fine, and gross, which was good for the costume… but when I went to remove it, it was practically super-glued to my face! And I am pretty sure I removed a nice thin piece of my
epidermis, leaving my face red, blotchy, irritated, and just plain uncomfortable.

After
the first application, my skin was remarkably better. Less blotchy, softer and more importantly felt soother and
less inflamed. After 3 nights, it
was all better. Nowadays, I use it
about once a week, twice in the winter, and I still love the way my skin feels
after using it. Derma E has a whole line of hyaluronic products… and they are vegan!

Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in all living
organisms and is a gel-like component that exists between cells and connective
tissue. In synovial fluid, it acts as a cushion for joints and nerves to
prevent degeneration, according to the Pain Clinic website. Hyaluronic acid
hydrates skin and hair and moisturizes the eyes. With age, the body produces
less hyaluronic acid and the skin and cells lose moisture and elasticity,
causing wrinkling, dry eyes, thin hair and shrinkage of cartilage.

Well
Connie Chung visited the village Yuzurihara, Japan, which is located about 2
hours from Tokyo and found a thriving community where 90-year-olds are
commonplace, and more of 10% of the population is 80 or older…. With virtually
no disease…. What?! It is even
nicknamed the Village of Long Life.
She interviews two men both well over the age of 80 who have been
smoking for most of their lives, and show no signs of lung damage or disease (Don’t
start smoking! This is merely an
example of the powerfulness of the local villagers’ diet… which is mostly
plant-based!). In fact, a majority
of the population lives well into their 90’s, rarely go to doctors and have
beautiful skin. So what is the
deal? Great DNA? Low stress?

Well
researchers believe that potatoes could be a huge factor in their youthfulness. In lieu of rice (which is the staple
food in most of Japan) the village of Yuzurihara took to growing potatoes
because of the hilly terrain. The
potatoes along with other starches & vegetables are the majority of their
diet, along with a small amount of meat. Dr Toyosuke Komori, the town's doctor and author of
five books on Yuzurihara, suggests the reason for the youthful healthiness is
due to a low-iron, sticky vegetable-based diet that promotes hyaluronic acid
levels in the body.

All
of us are born with a good amount of hyaluronic acid, but begin to lose it with
age. HA enables
cells to retain moisture, keeps joints lubricated and keeps our skin smooth and
elastic… Dr Toyosuke Komori has never seen skin cancer in the village. Japan’s leading pharmaceutical companies caught on started putting HA into
pills, which they then tested on 1000 people, of which approximately ½ reported
smoother skin, less fatigue and better eyesight.

HA
has long been used in eye surgery as a shock absorber to protect the retina,
proven effective in lubricating arthritic joints (usually through injections
directly to the area), and is well known for its ability to restore moisture
and elasticity to tissues.

Most
HA enthusiasts and researchers believe that it’s most dramatic discoveries are
around the corner… could it regenerate the cells inside our body?

Unfortunately,
there is a ton of hyaluronic in the combs on top of rooster’s heads, which means companies are harvesting the rooster combs, and needlessly killing roosters. But a majority of the hyaluronic acid
does come from vegetable sources (the best source of hyaluronic acid is seaweeds, in particular kelp)… which is great… can’t we just leave the roosters
out of it completely?